I think one of the points is that domestic poultry provide a contact with humans. So humans can then spread it. So if the chap who works at Bernard Matthews visits his aunty who has a few hens, who get it from wild birds and he drives through infected faeces in her drive and then goes to work in the same car and has it on his tyres, it spreads. I suppose the same goes for the wild bird feeding stations. I wonder what's happening at places like Slimbridge? Are they closing for the duration?

it isnt as much about spreading it as such but if a human with say an H1N1 (this years special offer ) strain also got the birdy version the virus can gene swap and potentially create a real monster.

the potential direct damage from a birdy strain is mostly to the birdy industry as in humans it usually isnt much worse than a very bad cold and does not easily transmit either bird to human (drinking blood is a bad idea) or human to human.

the bbc might be right about transfer of "this strain" to humans but i think i remember some cases of bird based strains being transferred to humans among Asian poultry workers via the birds blood which some drink warm as a snack while working at slaughter time.

Has to be said that though I had expected it to be a complete and total pain, my birds are actually loving it in the polytunnels - mainly strawed down, but I'm digging a patch a day in each tunnel for them to scratch in & have been able to keep them in their normal groups (42+26+23) so not getting any social issues so far. They are so happy that I'm even beginning to think of doing the same thing again next winter - no mud, no torrents....I even sat in with my Welsummer flock this morning for a teabreak (yes I was properly footbathed....) Does anyone else over winter their birds in polytunnels? Any thoughts or experiences to share?

I know they're used in some permaculture places to clean up in between cropping periods. Don't see why overwintering inside would be a problem, given sufficient ventilation and predator security I imagine the natural light would be good for them over winter?

I was going to put my ducks in the polytunnel but for me it was to complicated - I'd need to fox proof the outside and clear a lot of thing out of there that would otherwise get pooped on. How do you deal with fox security efwellywoman?